OKYEAME KWAME’S “ME DO MMAA”; AN ART!

 Music nostalgia, what a feeling! Just like how scents can take our minds back to times past in

our individual lives, music infinitely has that ability and more. Growing up around music is one

thing I will always be grateful for. Growing up in Asafo, Kumasi in the 2000s, coming from a

family of church singers and instrumentalists and a father with a high affinity with music have all

contributed to my love for music. Soaking yourself in nostalgia whenever you hear certain songs

is just an unmatched feeling. Priceless.

Ofori Amponsah’s “Otoolɛgɛ”,  Philipa Baafi’s “Go High”, Obour’s not so glorious “Konkotibaa”

,

Adwoa Amankwaa’s “Awurade Nim Me Din”, the legendary Daddy Lumba’s “Tokrom”;  hearing

any of these just brings back a rush of memories. The good and the bad, the what ifs and the

what could have beens; all of which have shaped me. Wanting to bask in this nostalgia once

again, I took myself on a ride down memory lane.

On my journey I chanced on Okyeame Kwame’s “M’anwensɛm” (My Poetry) album. What a

work of art that album is. The “Woso Rmx” was what took me to the album but “Me Do Mmaa”

captured me; sent me on a ride to the Easter of 2008. Good, good times.

“Me Do Mmaa” had

the masses hooked. From the clubs, schools and the streets.

“Me dɔ mmaa na me mpɛ mmaa”

had become an anthem for the naughty lover boys in town. It’s actually no surprise it caught on

easily as that line translates “I love women but I don’t like women”.

It doesn’t stop getting any more sarcastic when you actually digest the whole of the song. And so come with me, let’sdissect this intentional body of work by the Rap  Doctor.

He opens the songs with the hook;

“Me dɔ mmaa na mempɛ mmaa Kwame ee ee”

“Me dɔ mmaa na mempɛ mmaa Kwame ee ee”

“Mmaa tenten ne atiatia ha me ee ee”

“Adwoa-Akua-Afia-Abena-Ama-Yaa Yaa”

“Dɔ me ee (Akos ka ho)”

“Mmaa no dɔ me dodo”

“Wɔn dɔ me dodo”

“Wɔn dɔ me, ha me, dɔ me, dɔ me, dɔ me dodo…”

He’s quick to let us know he’s not at fault. It’s not just him who loves them but the ladies too

don’t stop loving and disturbing him. He tells us almost every lady, whether tall or short, loves

and disturbs him. He even goes on to list all the Asante female day names as part of the long

list of ladies who won’t stop at anything for him; that I think he enjoys because why would he

sing about it and tell us you love but yet claim some victim sort of?

In his verses, Okyeame decides to take us around the country where he has got lovers in and

from almost all the Ghanaian regions at the time. He obviously starts from his native Ashanti

where his first lover he mentions is an eloquent Fante lady residing in Bantama. She seems so

much in love with him that she can’t go a day without seeing him. To his second lover in Kumasi;

Kwame’s intentional positioning of this character is one to admire. She lives in Asokwa —Asokwa, from the Kumasi City mall cutting through the New Road to Anloga through the ends of

the Baba Yara Sports Stadium has long carried an image of an old money vicinity. So yes, she

schools at UST (the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) and has an old

money dad. And as it is/was “known” about old money babes, they are not really demanding

and it’s no different this character. She’s okay with his provision of a single “Snap” recharge card

and just admires his fashion sense.

The mention of Snap card is just pure nostalgic bliss. This was at the time mobile phone users

had to recharge their mobile phone airtime by entering a string of numbers from a recharge

card. Snap had transitioned into what is now MTN by the release of the album but I guess as

Ghanaians we sometimes find it hard to jump on to the new stays. We have people who still

quote money in our old currency value — it’s just the Ghanaian way! But there’s one more thing

that intrigues me; is Okyeame playing “sugar daddy” here? Well, that will be for another time.

And there is another one of his lovers who is a resident of the good old Ashtown. She seems

like a fierce one who doesn’t double down on calling him out and she is going to take down

Bantama and Asokwa should she ever get to know about them. Having this gritty lady in

Ashtown didn’t stop him from getting another in the neighboring Krofrom. She looks like a

coveted asset. Okyeame claims he’s into a competition with four “borgas” (returning immigrants

from overseas) over this one. And though these borgas come up to her in their Jaguars and

Mercedes, she never misses the chance to ride with him in his hired taxi. His fourth lover; how

else would you realise he is in his terrain, Oseikrom? This lover lives in Nhyiaeso, as to which

one of them, we don’t know. Her dad, a stutterer never misses the chance to let Okyeame know

he has to continue with his education though he knows he is a rapper. Kwame delivered the

stuttered speech brilliantly; it sounds effortless blending into the core of the instrumentations.

In his next verse, Okyeame takes us to his lovers in the Eastern region. First of them is the lady

who resides in Nsawam. She is ever quick whenever they meet to let him know he only

remembers her on his way to Accra from Kumasi. Here, Okyeame alludes to the bread baking

“industry” Nsawam is. His lady seems to be in the industry as he talks about her baking him the

densest of breads which he likens to the “meaty” back of a street smart (premanii) woman. The

other lover is based in Koforidua who he affectionately calls a flower. Okyeame again alludes to

the popular Ghanaian slang “Koforidua Flowers”

. It is known that the women of the capital of the

Eastern region are affectionately called so hence giving him every right to call her “Flower”

. She

seems almost forgotten. He only remembers her when he is visiting his friend Dasebre (the late

Dasebre Gyamena with whom he made the hit,

“Mate Ahwe Ne Do Mu”). He makes up for his

negligence by keeping tabs with her on the phone whenever he is away from her.

Right before ending his second verse, Okyeame takes us to his lovers in the Greater region. He

tells us about Adiza, Abiba and Mamuna who are all residents of Madina. He is proud to

mention these ladies are all around him running his pockets dry. His actions however irks the

frowning Promzy of VIP fame (a now defunct music trio consisting of Promzy, Prodigal and

Lazzy aka Zeal who were based in Madina). Per the impression created already, you would

believe there are more to his list in the Greater region and rightly so.In the opening of the third verse, Okyeame talks about his lady who is a resident of Legon. She

comes off as rich; she has got her own car. She’s an eloquent English speaker and looks to

have an attitude. She is also one who won’t miss the chance to let Okyeame know when he is

wrong. Positioning this character in Legon, a known “affluent” community and the imagery he

created around her is one to be applauded. In the historical Jamestown, Okyeame has yet

another lover. This lady has a brother who Okyeame compares how loud he is to James Brown.

Apart from the comparison actually fitting the rhyme scheme, it is actually known James Brown

was a loud singer. He is said to have treated his voice like an extra drum in his sets. This loud

brother warns his sister about Kwame who he sees as somewhat of a smoker. As to why he

sees him that way, we can’t tell.

In Cantonments, Okyeame has yet another rich lover but it looks as though things aren’t really

settled yet with her; she is one to fly out of the country at the least inconvenience.

New Town, Alajo, La and Ashongman are amongst the other places he’s got lovers but they’re

only given an honourable mention. He goes on to list a whole list of names like he did in the

chorus but this time in Ga and professes again they all love him in the Ga language —

Okyeame does with the instrumental transitioning into a short “jama” fever.

Jama is a traditional Ghanaian music subgenre characterised by drumming and singing with a

vibrant upbeat tempo often sung as a call and response cheer song. It is often used for banter

between rivals and for boosting morale as well as. Jama has become a heavy part of the

Ghanaian student and football culture — the latter being much visible with the Black Stars on

the world stage with their entrance to match venues. Incorporating jama into this verse is pure

ingenuity. Jama originates from the Gas in the Greater region of Ghana and hence weaving it

into this verse where Okyeame talks about his lovers in the region is just poetic!

For the last verse, Okyeame takes us to Nzemaland in the Western region, specifically Nzulezu.

He mentions his lover’s family house sits on a water body. Indeed this looks to be an interesting

community and yes the village of Nzulezo is truly fascinating. Nzulezo/Nzulezu is a village built

on stilts and mostly wooden platforms which hover above Lake Tadane. He mentions how he

gets to his lover by way of a boat, signaling the state of the community. He also takes a sly dig

at himself as being a typical Asante man who “overdresses” for an occasion; “Asantenii barima

aa mede linen kɔ beach”

.

Okyeame drifts from Nzemaland into Sunyani, back to Ashanti where he’s got another in

Obuasi; a gold mining town, and then straight into the north into Bolgatanga and then back to

Takoradi. All of these were more of honourable mentions where he drew references and

inferences from their names and history to make rhymes and allusions.

What of the Volta region? Okyeame hastens to add that he has yet another lover there. One he

nearly forgot about but he dares not. She is said to have a deep voice yet he is okay with it. She

is also one to call him out when he stays out for long. You would think Okyeame will end at this

juncture but no, he continues with his travels overseas. London, Texas, New York, Hamburg and

Toronto are all places he claims to have lots of love from due to the exceptional qualities he

possesses; all of which the ladies love and want.This is a brilliant work of art. I would just simply put it that way. By the name of the album, this

song is everything needed to be a big part of it. The song is very well arranged, takes the

listener on a tour around Ghana and has punches of allusions which makes it even more

refreshing. Okyeame’s smart use of innuendos and the wide exaggeration of the love people

(ladies for this matter) have for him all over the country is yet another reason why “Me Do

Mmaa” is up there with the best songs written by a Ghanaian musician. But it makes me

wonder, does the song in any way pump the energy for promiscuity? Well, I do not think so. I

only see it from a satirical perspective and an exaggerated feel of love from all over the country.

However, let me not forget. It wouldn't be fair if I do not give the producer of the song his

flowers; Jay Q. The instrumentation is just as immaculate. The pair really gave us a truly classic,

academic-worthy record. The Easter of 2008 was good but even better anytime “Me Do Mmaa”

bumped in the speakers.

See you on the other side, until then Be Safe!

-Brwn Sugar